Saturday, September 06, 2014

Hognose

I saw this hognose snake in August at the Hammock Hills Nature Trail. I came upon it abruptly, but couldn't get too close. It raised its head, then quickly slithered away as soon as I approached.

It was beautiful, though!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of late 19th century
steamship traffic to Ocracoke, and the large Victorian hotel that
accommodated the guests. You can read the article here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082114.htm.

"Hognose snakes (Heterodon) are rear-fanged. The fangs have been referred to as just "enlarged teeth", but they are genuine fangs that are used for prey restraint. Despite the common belief, there is no evidence to support the fangs being used for "toad popping". Under this belief, the toads inflate their lungs to make swallowing difficult, but the fangs would penetrate the lungs and deflate them. However, whole toads with intact lungs are commonly regurgitated by recently captured hognoses."

Relatively new signs on the lawns around Bodie Island Lighthouse alert visitors to the presence of snakes, and a volunteer at the lighthouse showed me photos last August of a rattlesnake captured on the grounds, right in front of the lighthouse.